


Hunter and Maiden

by Grimalkenkid



Category: Shadow of the Colossus
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 17:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10443054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimalkenkid/pseuds/Grimalkenkid
Summary: The chances they would meet were a hundred to one... and yet it could not have happened any other way.





	

            It began when she snuck out of the villa.

            The girl just wanted a better look at a beautiful bird that had flown into her father’s garden and then left after getting a drink. An hour later, though, and she was hopelessly lost in the woods. She tried in vain to remember the lessons her tutors gave about pathfinding, but thoughts were driven from her mind as panic slowly set in. Her sandals quickly tore as she climbed over roots and rocks, the flimsy material only good for use on stone roads and well-worn trails.

            She choked back some tears as the sun began its descent. One root escaped her notice, and the girl tripped. The only thing keeping her from making more noise was the fear of a wolf or bear happening upon her.

            A small shift in the leaves of a bush was her only warning before a predator finally came into the clearing. The girl only saw a blur through her tears and threw her hands up in a last attempt to ward off danger.

            “Who are… Oh no!”

            The creature spoke, and the girl wiped away the last remnants of her sadness with her sleeve. Before her was no monster. It was a boy no older than her. He wore simple clothing in the browns and greens of the peasantry, but his simple tabard bore the symbol of protection. He knelt on the ground, his hands clasped tightly before his bowed head, and a bow and arrow lay on the ground where they had fallen from his hands.

            “Please forgive me!” the boy whimpered. “I did not know these were the lord’s lands. You can have my catch, as it’s yours by rights… just please let me live.”

            The girl blinked in surprise. She had seen some of the villagers beg her father to solve disputes in such a manner, but never before had someone bowed to her. She reached out a hand as she rose, seeking to comfort the poor boy she had so obviously terrorized by her presence. “You don’t have to worry about that,” she said as softly as she could. “I… don’t know if these are even my father’s lands. I’m… I’m very lost.”

            As her fingers touched his shoulder, the boy’s head snapped up. His blue eyes met hers, and she realized she had never seen eyes so clear and intense. Yet, despite his apparent calmness, his words betrayed his worry. “You… aren’t angry?”

            The girl shook her head. Now that she was closer, she could see the rabbits and pheasant tied to his belt. Not a grand catch but enough to sustain one person for a while. “No, I’m…” The girl paused to gulp down the last of her tears. “I’m glad. Can you… take me back to town? I’m not sure which way to go.”

            He never broke eye contact as he stood, picking up his bow and arrow in the process. “You’re… rather quick to trust a stranger.”

            “Is that a bad thing?”

            The boy looked off to the side, like he’d never considered that question before. “I… suppose not… if the people you place your trust in aren’t bad themselves.”

            “And are you a bad person?” The girl smiled, sure that she had sufficiently twisted his words towards her argument.

            He didn’t speak for several seconds, opening his mouth slightly several times before thinking better of it. Finally, he sighed, “Everyone says that I am.” While the girl was still startled by his answer, the boy turned and motioned her to follow. “Town is this way. It’s a fair distance, but I know the quickest route.”

            She wanted to ask why everyone said he was bad but thought against it. Instead, she said, “Since we’ll be together for a bit, introductions are in order, don’t you think? My name is Mono. What can I call you?”

            The boy furrowed his brow, and Mono wondered just how hard of a question that could be. “I’ve been called Wander most often. That’s not too odd of a name… right?”

            “Not odd at all,” the girl laughed softly. “Thank you, Wander.”

* * * * * * * * * *

            Wander hadn’t been lying when he said it was a long walk back to town. At least an hour passed before the tallest buildings came into view through the trees. While Mono was ready to rush back into civilization and the comfort of her home, the boy slowed his pace. She didn’t even notice it until he stopped completely.

            “You should be able to get back on your own,” he said, pointing to the nearest gate. “Just keep going straight. There aren’t any other streams between here and there, so you won’t have to worry about slipping again.”

            Mono chuckled a bit. They had crossed a wide stream to get there, but the girl was far from used to balancing on such slippery rocks. It was only Wander’s quick reflexes that kept her from falling in, and he’d held her hand the rest of the way. He wasn’t the most talkative companion, but his actions spoke volumes.

            Which was why she was so confused that he wanted to leave her right there.

            “You aren’t coming with me?” she asked.

            “No…” Wander said. “I’m unclean… they’ll run me out of town the moment I step foot inside the gates.”

            Mono blinked. She knew of outcasts – people who lived outside of society because of circumstance and action – but she thought they were never friendly. Most of the stories she heard from caravan owners and emissaries from distant cities were about how small bands of outcast bandits stuck at their food and weapon supplies, sometimes even capturing and killing decent townsfolk just for being nearby. “You’re… an outcast?”

            “Since birth.” He bowed his head a bit, making himself look a bit smaller, as if he wanted to hide from something. “I thought everyone in town knew…”

            “I didn’t. I barely talk to those outside my father’s villa.”

            Wander’s eyes disappeared behind his bangs as he raised them. “That… sounds like my life… just a bit.” He paused for a moment, glanced around and then back at her. “Well, the ‘not talking’ bit. I don’t live in a villa… or even a house.”

            Mono didn’t quite know why, but instead of replying, she wrapped him in an embrace. “I’m sorry,” she whispered into his shoulder. “You’re too kind to be an outcast.”

            The boy slowly raised a hand and patted her on the back, eyebrows raised in confusion. His mouth opened and closed, but he didn’t get any words out. After a few moments had passed, Mono pulled away, cheeks red as she realized her bold behavior. “I apologize. I don’t know what came over me.”

            “It’s… fine?” Wander looked at a loss for words. Mono couldn’t really blame him.

            “I should probably get back home. It’ll be dark out if I stay much longer.” Before she turned away, she added, “Is there any way I can repay you for bringing me safely home?”

            “N-no…”

            “Nothing? Truly?”

            Wander pulled at the quiver strap across his chest, worrying his bottom lip and looking anywhere but at her. Mono waited. He had something to say; she was sure of it.

            “If… if it’s alright…” he finally said, picking his words with meticulous care, “would you allow me to… to see you again? When you aren’t in such a hurry to get somewhere?”

            “Of course!” the girl grinned. “I’d like that. I’m not planning anything special for the next few days. Where would you like to meet?”

            A light smile tugged at the edge of Wander’s lip, and Mono felt like she’d seen a phoenix, a rare sight and one she wanted to see again. “If you’re often at your home, I’ll come find you. There’s only one villa in town, right?”

            “That’s right. I’ll see you then. Safe travels, Wander.”

            “Safe travels…”

            Mono turned to start the short walk to the gate, and when she turned back just a few minutes later, Wander was no where to be seen.

* * * * * * * * * *

            Many months had passed since that fateful day she wandered outside the villa. Now, Mono couldn’t imagine living without Wander’s visits. Some days he would catch her while near the edge of town; on others, he’d skillfully climb the trees by her room and speak through the window while her family was blissfully unaware of his presence. Rarely was the girl able to find him on her own.

            That day, while out riding about the large clearings near town, Mono saw the boy sitting in a tree. His bow and arrow were knocked and ready, so she waited a bit before urging her horse towards his perch. Wander turned to look at her as she approached, lowering his weapon in the process. Even from a distance, she could tell he was smiling.

            “You don’t have any important business today?” he quipped, already sure of the answer.

            Mono nodded. “No, nothing today… unless you count finding you as ‘important.’” She watched with a bit of interest as he clambered down. He wasn’t quite as graceful as the cats that kept the grain stores clean, but he was sure of his movements, like the forest was more a home than the town. In many ways, it was.

            The girl made to dismount, but Wander brought up a hand and shook his head. Instead he whistled sharply, holding the note until it hung in the air. There was a bit of silence before they heard a whinny and the clop of hooves that heralded the arrival of another horse. A black horse, with a simple saddle and reins but no rider, raced into the clearing and stopped just short of the boy. Wander patted the animal’s neck and hopped on, urging it towards Mono and her own horse.

            “You ride?” the girl asked. Horses were not a luxury those without coin could afford. She briefly wondered if he’d stolen the beast but quickly dismissed the notion. For as much as the other villagers disliked his presence, she doubted Wander would stoop so low.

            Wander nodded. “I taught myself. Her name’s Agro.”

            “Is…” Mono hesitated, unsure if her question would put him on the defensive, “Is she yours? I can’t imagine there are many stables outside of town.”

            Again, the boy nodded, leaning over to pat Agro’s head. “The stablemaster was going to get rid of her. Too wild for him, I think.”

            Mono chuckled. She knew the man he was speaking of, and she could see him tossing a horse aside if he couldn’t break it within a week. But the beast she saw now was hardly a wild animal.

            “Well, that’s his loss. She’s beautiful.”

            “She is,” he said, patting her neck again. “There’s a nice field towards the mountains that I wanted to show you. If you want, that is.”

            Mono’s enthusiastic smile was all the answer he needed. They spent the ride through the trees and hills talking of silly, inconsequential things. Topics she’d talked to death with her family felt new and fresh discussing them with Wander. Before she knew it, they’d arrived at a rolling field covered in flowers. On the far side of the field, she could see the telltale shimmer of a lake.

            Struck by a sudden feeling of playfulness, Mono turned to the boy and grinned. “Shall we see who’s the better equestrian? First one to that lake wins.”

            Wander raised an eyebrow even as he smiled back. “And what would the winner get?”

            “Bragging rights?” she offered. “Maybe not. How about a small request? The loser has to do one thing that the winner says, no matter what. That’s not too hefty of a wager, is it?”

            The boy nodded. “If it were anyone else, I’d say yes. But… I trust you not to ask for anything dangerous. Ready?”

            “Go!”

            Mono spurred her mount onward, but it was nowhere close to the speed with which Agro took off, rearing back just before going into a full gallop. The girl urged her horse faster, unwilling to lose by such a large margin after all her bravado. For as quick as Wander started, his mare wasn’t quite as fast as the racing stallion her father gifted her with. Mono easily caught up halfway to the lake, laughing as she passed the boy and saw his slightly shocked look. She won their little competition by at least ten paces and smiled brightly as Wander caught up at the edge of the water.

            “That was… really impressive,” the boy softly exclaimed. “I’ve… never actually seen a horse go that fast.”

            “Really? Kas isn’t even the fastest in my family’s stable.” Mono dismounted, grateful that the abundant flora, both in and out of the water, held the mud together. She’d gotten in the habit of wearing tougher sandals, but tough leather didn’t keep soil from coming in through the tops. The girl fully expected Wander to join her, yet he stayed on Agro’s back. “A saddle can’t possibly be that comfortable.”

            Wander nodded and urged the mare to walk parallel to the lake. “I’ve actually been practicing something… Will you watch?”

            Something in his voice made her worried. He’d never sounded so cocky before. Confident, yes, but not cocky. Still, he rarely told her about what he did in his free time, and she had to know just what he spent his hours practicing. Mono gave a quick nod.

            Almost immediately, Wander had urged Agro a good distance from the lake and turned around. Again, the mare whinnied and took off. When her back was level, the boy stood up. Not in the stirrups like people did when they wanted to see further… He put his feet up on the saddle itself. And he still had the reins in hand, guiding Agro as he kept shifting his weight to stay balanced.

            Mono didn’t know when she’d covered her mouth or when she began holding her breath. She could just see Wander falling off and breaking something, and unlike the other boys in town who pulled off these stunts, there were few healers who’d be willing to patch him up. The girl started to feel light-headed as Wander pulled around, jumping off Agro’s back a few yards from Mono and her horse, only stumbling a few steps as he hit the ground.

            “D-did you see that? I’ve been working on doing that for months!” His excitement faded as he saw the fear in her eyes. “... Mono? What’s… what’s wrong?”

            Mono closed the distance between them and shoved him with all her might. It was only enough to make the boy fall down, but it got the point across. “You could’ve really hurt yourself!” she cried. “Why would you do that?! There’s no benefit to doing so…”

            Wander stared blankly up at her. “I…” He looked to the side and pulled his knees to his chest. “I thought… you’d be impressed…”

            “I… well, I am…” Mono admitted. She paused and then sat down beside him. “I was just… That’s not something I expect _you_ to do. It’s… it’s really silly…”

            The boy just nodded, and they sat in silence for a few long minutes. Distant birdsong drifted through the air as the two young people thought what to say next. Mono was the first to speak, far more used to talking in general.

            “I didn’t mean to sound angry. I was just worried.”

            Wander nodded.

            “… That was quite the feat, though…”

            He nodded again, then said, “I… won’t do it again…”

            “Thank you…”

            More silence followed.

            “Um…” Mono pondered her words carefully. “Since I won our race, do I still get a request?”

            Another nod.

            “Might be odd to make it now, but…” Mono turned so she was facing Wander more. “Will you allow me to… give you a kiss?”

            His head snapped to look so fast she almost worried that he hurt himself. But he blinked several times, eyes so wide she could see all the blue in them, and answered… hesitantly… hopefully… “Yes.”

* * * * * * * * * *

            There were scare few things sadder than a fate cursed. Emon knew this more than most, and that was why he had been charged with bringing the news of the prophecy to that small town. Mono was still a girl, though, and her mother objected the harsh methods they needed to take. Her father, on the other hand, seemed a bit too eager to be rid of his daughter, muttering about some “wandering fool” who was the cause of this misfortune.

            Emon said nothing to him but assured Mono that her fate was no one’s fault. She was merely a pawn of the universe, selected from among thousands by an unknowable force as the one who would bring a horrible curse upon the world. The highest shaman of his order had foreseen this disaster, with Mono at the center of it all, and so she had to be sacrificed before it came to fruition.

            The girl had a look of shock all throughout the discussion, and Emon decided that it was better for them to carry out their duties before she had the chance to feel sad or angry. It was kinder to end the pain sooner than allow it to fester and possibly prompt her to avoid her fate. Destiny was unavoidable, and running just made it worse.

            Emon drew a vial of poison from his robes and prepared a simple drink for the girl. Mono stared at it for several minutes after he offered it to her.

            “You will feel no pain, child,” the shaman reassured her. “Know that you are doing the right thing and sparing the world from evil. The gods will reward your sacrifice. Of that, I am sure.”

            Mono spent several more moments looking between Emon and the cup. And then she took it.

            Just before raising it to her lips, Emon swore he heard her whisper two words…

            “I’m sorry.”

* * * * * * * * * *

            Wander was no stranger to having doors slammed in his face, but this time hurt so much worse than all the others. After days of not seeing Mono so much as come to a window, he had gathered his courage to ask her family what had happened. Her father had stood in the doorway, judging the boy for things beyond his control, and told him that Mono was dead, sacrificed for a cursed fate that Wander must have brought upon her. He didn’t argue, unable to summon the words to defend himself. The boy just couldn’t believe she was gone. He stood there for minutes after the door shut behind the lord, trying to comprehend what had happened.

            The rest of the day was a dull blur as he easily caught a few rabbits in a snare. He didn’t try to haggle or get the most he could for his catch. The extra coin would’ve felt hollow anyway. It hardly seemed worth it now. With no one to share his good fortune with, there was no point.

            Only once he was back in his hut did he allow himself to cry. If it weren’t for Agro’s worried whinnying, Wander might never have left once his tears were dry. He rode out into the forest, to the highest point he could, and screamed at the world.

            It wasn’t fair… Without Mono, his life was so empty. Nothing and no one could replace her.

            As he turned his eyes to the mountains in the distance, Wander recalled an old legend Mono told him while teaching him to read. One about the Forbidden Lands and the being who resided there.

            A being who could bring the dead back to life.

            But doing so was strictly forbidden.

            And Wander had nothing to lose.

            Late at night, the boy gathered a few key possessions on Agro before climbing into the lord’s estate. His heart ached as he passed through the same window he’d often find Mono looking out of whenever he said he’d be by, but he steeled himself for what he had to do. The girl’s body – in traditional fashion – was covered in a death shroud and laid out in their private shrine. Only after ten nights would she be burned, for that was how long it took for the spirit to make its perilous journey to the other side.

            With great care, he carried her body outside to where his horse awaited him. Agro gently sniffed at the bundle in his arms, and Wander could almost hear her sorrow at losing one so precious to them both. Without a word, he mounted with the body in tow and dashed off into the darkness.

            Next, he rode for the shaman’s temple. The Forbidden Lands were dangerous, but it was said that the Sword of Light in the shaman’s care would protect the one who wielded it. It was no trouble at all for a lone hunter to sneak past the devoted guards and shamans deep in prayer. A rabbit had more awareness than they did.

            The sword wasn’t even guarded, displayed in a small shrine where anyone could come up and take it. And take it, he did.

            He pushed Agro to take off into the night as soon as he had his prize.

            He rode all night, heading for the southern mountains, and when day broke, the split peak in the distance marked his destination.

            He would save Mono, no matter how long it took.

            He would save her… no matter the cost.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and critiques are welcomed and encouraged.
> 
> I know this fandom is kinda old now, but I just had to write something after I finally got around to playing it.


End file.
